Elementary Education Faculty

Priscilla Nelson

Associate Professor of EducationChair, Elementary Education

Priscilla Nelson, Class of '74, returned to Gordon's Education Department after twenty years of combined experience as a public school classroom teacher, an elementary Christian school principal, and an adjunct professor at Gordon. Priscilla pursued advanced study at Boston University and the University of Massachusetts. This enables her to prepare teachers of reading using the most recent scientifically based research. She served as a ... more ➔

Janet Arndt

Director of the Graduate Program in EducationAssociate Professor of EducationLicensure Officer

Dr. Arndt teaches in the undergraduate and graduate programs. She assists teacher candidates and alumni in obtaining Massachusetts as well as other states' teacher licensure. Dr. Arndt served in the public sector as a teacher, counselor, early childhood specialist, principal and policy maker for ten years as a state representative. Her research interests include transitions, learning needs of students with disabilities, the impact of socia ... more ➔

Ellen Ballock

Associate Professor of Education

Ellen Ballock taught elementary school in Florida and at the North Jakarta International School in the country of Indonesia and served as a teacher educator at Towson University in Maryland prior to joining the Gordon College faculty. Her research interests include professional learning communities, collaboration, teacher “noticing” and decision-making, and classroom assessment.

Julia D'Onofrio

Adjunct in Education

Julia D'Onofrio enjoyed teaching in an early childhood classroom for a number of years in the city of Lynn before moving on to work as the Director of Student Services at North Shore Christian School. This position enabled Julia to work with students from Pre-K through Eighth Grade, specifically students with special needs. Julia also has experience as a Reading Specialist, and brings a passion for teaching reading and English Language Lea ... more ➔

Melinda Eichhorn

Assistant Professor of Education

Mindy has spent more than six years in India as a special education consultant and inclusion specialist. Prior to working in India, Mindy was a special education teacher in the Hartford Public Schools. Her research interests include math learning disabilities, transition, early intervention in mathematics, teachers' perceptions of mathematics, and the use of professional development to improve math instruction.

Todd Morano

Associate Professor of Education

Todd served in the San Diego Unified School District as an elementary teacher, middle school science and US history classroom teacher, and as a school site administrator. He joined the faculty at Point Loma Nazarene University full-time in 1998 and held the positions of director of literacy development and single- and multiple-subjects coordinators. He earned his doctorate in applied socio-linguistics/TESOL from Alliant International Universit ... more ➔

Jaclyn Rudolph

Adjunct Instructor in Early Childhood/Elementary Education

Jaclyn is currently in her 4th year as a literacy coach in the North Andover Public School district here in Massachusetts. Jaclyn is fortunate to be able to work with both students and teachers throughout her day. Her mornings are spent leading reading intervention groups with K-2 students, while her afternoons are spent supporting K-5 teachers across 5 elementary schools as they implement their literacy curriculum. On any given day ... more ➔

Barbara Sachs

Carolyn Sawyer

Adjunct in Education

Carolyn Sawyer has many years of classroom experience as a high school English teacher and a middle school music teacher in Massachusetts public schools. She is currently teaching an honors literature and writing course at Bradford Christian Academy. BCA has a growing international student enrollment which enhances the courses she teaches at Gordon.

Gordon College is one of the nation's premier Christian colleges and located just north of Boston. We offer students extraordinary access to leading-edge opportunities for intellectual, professional, and leadership development to address the increasingly complex challenges of a global society. Gordon stands apart from other outstanding institutions in New England by combining an exceptional education with an informed Christian faith.